With less than a day to deliberate, a jury found a non-fatal shooting defendant guilty of all charges Feb. 25 before DC Superior Court Judge Rainey Bryant.
Gerald Day, 34, is charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence or dangerous offense, carrying a pistol without a license outside a home or business, and threatening to kidnap or injure a person for allegedly pointing a gun at a woman after a fight on Oct. 29, 2023, at the intersection of O Street and Carrollsburg Place, SW.
Day’s co-defendant, Paul Poston, 32, was sentenced on June 26, 2024, to two years of imprisonment, with all but 10 months suspended, for shooting at the same victim’s car after the altercation.
He “went too far,” the prosecution said during closing statements, referencing Day’s actions on the day of the incident.
Throughout the trial, which began on Feb. 18, the prosecution argued that Day was guilty of all charges, claiming he assaulted and threatened the victim.
Days’defense attorneys, Steven Polin and James Valentine, argued that Day was acting in self-defense during the incident. The defense said Day was deescalating the situation, using his training as an off duty special police officer.
Parties are set to reconvene for sentencing on May 1.
